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Striped Bass (AGI)
Striped bass are an uncommon catch in Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. While these large, powerful game fish can occasionally be found in the lakes, they are not stocked in either reservoir and are not a significant part of the overall fishery.
Striped bass are open-water predators that feed heavily on forage fish such as shad. Anglers are much more likely to encounter them in the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers below Kentucky Dam and Barkley Dam, where striped bass can migrate upstream from the Ohio River.
Because their numbers in Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley are limited, striped bass are rarely targeted by anglers fishing the lakes. Catching one is more likely to be an unexpected bonus than the result of specifically fishing for striped bass.
The daily limit is the number of a particular sport fish species you may keep in one day’s fishing. A possession limit is two times thed aily limit for all fish species with a daily limit, excluding previously processed fish. These limits are set by the Kentucky Deparment of Fish & Wildlife and apply to the state of Kentucky.
Striped bass have a long, streamlined body with an olive green to blue-gray back, silvery sides, and a white belly. Several dark horizontal stripes run along each side, with most extending unbroken for much of the length of the fish.
Striped bass can sometimes be confused with white bass or hybrid striped bass. True striped bass generally have a more slender body than either species, and the stripes on a hybrid are more likely to be broken or poorly aligned. Another identifying feature is the tongue, which usually has two distinct patches of teeth.
Striped bass are capable of reaching impressive sizes. Adult fish commonly weigh between 5 and 20 pounds in Kentucky, and the species can grow to more than 50 pounds.
Because striped bass are uncommon in Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, there isn’t a typical size anglers should expect to encounter here. An occasional striped bass caught in the lakes or nearby rivers can vary considerably in size.
Few freshwater fish combine size, strength, and endurance like the striped bass.
Unlike more abundant game fish in Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, striped bass do not have a dependable seasonal fishing pattern for anglers to follow. Their limited numbers in the lakes make encounters uncommon throughout the year, so targeting them during a particular season is unlikely to produce consistent results.
Anglers interested in catching striped bass in our region have a better opportunity in the tailwaters below Kentucky Dam and Barkley Dam. Striped bass stocked in the Ohio River can migrate upstream into the lower Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, where they may be found below the dams.
Current is an important factor when fishing for striped bass below Kentucky and Barkley dams. These open-water predators feed on forage fish, and areas of moving water below the dams can provide opportunities to encounter them.
Anglers fishing the tailwaters can use baitfish-imitating jigs and other artificial lures. Live shad or skipjack herring can also be effective. Even in the tailwaters, anglers should keep in mind that striped bass share these waters with much more common species, including white bass and hybrid striped bass.
Andy Allen Fishing Guide Service provides guided fishing trips on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley for anglers pursuing crappie, largemouth…
Captain Rich Bay operates Kick’n Bass Guide Service as a full-time, multi-species service on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. Family trips…
Shelldiver Guide Service offers bass and multi-species fishing trips on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. Scott also provides sonar instruction, bass-fishing…
Striped bass spend much of the year in open water following schools of threadfin and gizzard shad. They are commonly found near main river channels, deep creek channels, offshore structure, and areas where current concentrates baitfish, especially below the dams.
Live threadfin shad are one of the most effective baits for striped bass, but anglers also have success with swimbaits, bucktail jigs, spoons, umbrella rigs, and deep-diving crankbaits. Lures that closely imitate shad consistently produce the best results.
Striped bass are known for their powerful runs and incredible endurance. Their strength, combined with their ability to make long, sustained runs, has made them one of Kentucky Lake's premier trophy game fish.
